Sacrifice
by Nighty Gale
Summary: What does it mean? To sacrifice everything and end up with nothing? Solitary, Admiral Gil Graham looks back at the past, and saw what made him chose the path of his life, and the choices of tragedy. [oneshot][GrahamPOV]


Yay, for first real completed fic in Anyway, being the Graham fan that I am, I'd thought I'd do a little…fictional insight into those years we never saw of him. Well, some of those years at least.

**Sacrifice**

_A story of a man who tried and understands _

Disclaimer: I don't own the Nanoha franchise; else males would get equal screentime.

* * *

"Are you going out, Father?" 

Lotte asked of me, out of concern and curiousity. For all these years, I had rarely returned to the world I was born from, as I had lost all familial ties to my motherland. Much less to a country on the other side of the world from which I was born, Japan.

"Yes. I am visiting a friend. An old friend, to congratulate them on their pride and joy."

It was an abstract statement. Lotte was silent, and even I did not wish to push further in seeing whether or not they understood what I meant. I was never married…I never had real children, and a part of me is eternally saddened by that fact.

Lotte and Aria are my 2 precious daughters. That is enough for me.

"Well then, I'm off."

* * *

It was supposed to be a joyous moment. 

The Yagamis were blessed by beautiful baby girl, who herself was supposed to be blessed with a beautiful future, as bright as the clear sky.

But it was not to be.

Instead, she…was cursed, by darkness. She was chosen to be the Master of the Book of Darkness.

* * *

It was an endearing reunion. I never had many friends on Earth, and the Yagamis were one of 2 friends I had the pleasure in Japan to make during my years of service in the TSAB. 

Looking at him, and his wife, it made me feel old. They were already holding a future in their arms, a future they would help raise into a beautiful young girl in the coming years. Had it been that long since I first met him?

I veared towards the little child, held dearly in the arms of her mother. Even as a mere baby, her bright, blue eyes showed me hope. A hope that this child would definitely bring happiness to those around her.

A hope that was crushed almost instantenously.

It was just for a fleeting moment. I felt a sudden rush, as the space around appears to be distorted. I recognized such phenomenons…It was the sign of a crack in time-space, created from surge of energies. And then…it appeared, before the little child. And then it was clear.

The Book of Darkness, materializing itself in front of the mother and daughter of the Yagami, had proclaimed the young baby as the new Master of the Book.

My reaction was too slow. Before I realized it, the book had already killed Hayate's parents with it's myriad of released energy, sapping out their life force.

Using my magical powers, I quickly placed up a force field and a sealing magic to stop the rampaging effects of the Book.

As the Book stops and drops to the ground, as if it was nothing more than just an ordinary book, I looked at the scene.

* * *

Death...Despair... filled the room. 

It was like a scene out of the spawns of hell.

But it was not because of its carnage.

It was not because the destruction, it was not because of the deaths, it was because of the irony of fate.

Why? Why must both of her parents, die just as they given a blessing from the Gods? If the Book exists as devil's spawn, why must the devil strike the hearts of men and shatter their hopes and dreams at their happiest moment?

Why? Why must this little child, who's not even old enough to call out her mother's name be cursed...cursed by darkness?

My hands held out towards the child, who was crying. I held her in my arms, trying to comfort the little child's cries, and tears. I was neither her mother nor her father, but I did all I could. I wiped the tears from her eyes.

With Hayate held on carefully in my arms, I walked towards the Book of Darkness, lying flat on the floor, unprotected. That cursed artifact…the Lost Logia that had killed Clyde, the Yagamis…and countless other TSAB soldiers who had put their life on their line for the safety of the worlds…the artifact that would eventually consume Hayate Yagami. This horrid tome that had caused so much blood to be shed and I am able to destroy it now.

I charged and focused my magical energy, when a thought hit me.

What would it change?

It would save Hayate, but in the future, it would reappear again, and once again create bloodshed. An endless cycle that would continue on for all eternity.

Right now, I could…

What was I thinking...? If I destroy this cursed artifact now, she'd be free... but this...this act merely prolongs disaster... Her parents were killed because of this...

What should I do?

* * *

"As expected, you really can't let me retire in peace, Graham." 

I chose to not do anything yet. I contacted the one person within the authorities of Japan who knew about the things that were beyond the knowledge of regular people of Earth. The former Chief of Police, a wrinkled old man, past his 60s, with a stern look on his face as he eyed the scene of the incident, seeing Graham with a baby, along with 2 dead bodies.

"You made me flew all the way here from Hokkaido after 20 years of silence, and now you ask me to oversee 2 dead bodies? Just great."

"I know you're retired, but you're the only one I can trust to handle such sensitive matters discretely. Sorry."

"Don't bother. Really, people like you do nothing but cause more trouble for us ordinary people." He spoke with harshness, but without sarcasm or spite.

As harsh as he sounds, he understands that there are just some things that cannot be changed.

"You monsters should just do what you all do best. We people will handle what we can."

"Perhaps you're right."

* * *

I've made up my mind. 

Placing my palm on the cover of the Book, I chanted and invoked a time-based rejection spell to create a spatial time-space barrier shrouding the tome. It would create a temporary field that would prevent the Tome from fully awakening it's external programming systems through an energy-charged magic surrounding it linked directly to Hayate. Now it all depends on Hayate herself, how long will the magic last before the Knight Programs awaken to her will.

It may be a 5 years. It may be more. But Hayate will most likely suffer from this. Her magical potential has not awakened as a baby, and it is questionable if it ever will when the Book is still not fully awakened. Within this time, I must do what I can, to save everyone.

If I can't, then I'll have no choice.

I'm sorry, Yagami-san. Even if we were friends, as a soldier, I cannot promise that I will definitely protect your daughter's future with selfishness, with the curse she holds, but I will promise this.

Until it is too late, I will do everything in my power to protect the future of the people, and the future your daughter as well.

* * *

Years had passed since then. 

"Damn it! DAMN!"

"Father…"

Aria and Lotte showed me concern, after my outburst. This was not the first time. How many hundreds of hours have we already spent to search for more information on the Book of Darkness only to come up with disappointments, how many different dimensions and ruins have we searched for a hopeful method to stop the Book of Darkness? We've struggled so hard for all these years, it seems to hardly matter anymore.

Another failure, after another. Is there really no other way to stop the Book of Darkness other than sealing it along with it's Master?

Along with my daughters, I had searched far and wide all these years for a way to seal away the Book of Darkness. I've discovered lost information of the Book of Darkness, from its original name to it's darker histories following what has transpired. But all that served only to prove that there is only 2 ways for the Book of Darkness to end its cycle of terror for eternity.

The first being an administrative rewrite of the core functions of the Book. But that would require Hayate to awaken fully as the Master of the Book, and that is impossible, as Hayate would only be consumed by the corrupted program and creates havoc and destruction just like the previous Masters.

And the second…is a permanent time-freeze that prevents any form of logistic action from a fully awakened Master, further locked in a prison dimension that cannot be distorted from within.

Is there really other no way to stop this? Why...

God, if you exist...why must you torment me so? Why must I always fail to protect those I love?

But I cannot give up now. Not yet.

"Aria, Lotte, let's move on to the next target point. This ti-"

Darkness enveloped me. The last thing I've heard, was my daughter's scream.

I feel so…tired.

* * *

What…happened? 

My body felt heavy, as if every joint on my frame was held and chained down with heavy steel balls. My vision were slightly betraying me with its unfocused sight, but I could make out a shade of white, and someone…looking at me. It was a feeling all too familiar.

"Is that you, Lotte?"

"Yes, Father. How are you doing?"

Lotte sounded worried, a voice stricken with both relief and concern.

"Not too well, but I've been through worse. Where is this?" I answered her honestly. There was nothing to hide between me and my daughters.

"This is the TSAB's medical department. You've been asleep for 3 days now, due to heavy fatigue."

"3 days? I've got to-"

"Don't worry. Aria's covering your portion of the administrative duties, and I've reported to the Grand Admiral on your health situation. He said it is okay to let the young people handle the tough work."

"What I'm doing right now…must be done by myself. In fact, I shouldn't even trouble both Aria and yourself like this. I know that it's tough for both of you to double-task both work and my person-"

"Father…isn't it enough? It had already been 6 years now… Isn't it enough?"

Lotte is clearly distraught. Her voice, which has always brimmed with a sense of confidence and maturity, was croaking with sadness. With tears flowing from her eyes, she's telling me to stop. I have tried enough, she said. Some things just don't have happy endings, she said.

I smiled. Rather than just telling her how I felt, I took out a picture, along with a letter. The picture showed a small girl, who looks around 6 or 7, with her friend.

"Lotte...Hayate sent me a letter last week. There, it talked of her dreams...her desires...her future... A part of me wants to help her realize that in a most foolish manner, but before I am her caretaker, I am a soldier. I protect the future of the people. And therefore, until it is too late, I haven't tried enough."

Lotte was silent, but her resolve can be seen through her clear eyes. I never said it out loud, but I was truly thankful to both my daughters, Aria…Lotte from the bottom of my heart,

I could not had made this far without the both of them.

* * *

Before long, my greatest fears had come true. 

The Guardian Knights of the Tome had awakened. And with Hayate's physical condition…she doesn't have much time left.

She looked truly happy, as she had found what I could not give her, with the Knights. Family. A family she lost to the same curse that is her family at the moment. Even those Knights…seemed to have changed, in meeting a Master like Hayate, who treats them like a true family, and not as tool.

I took out her letter. Along with it was attached a picture with her, and the Knights, smiling happily. It almost looked a perfect beautiful family…if only it was so simple.

"Dear uncle,

I am very happy recently. I can't really go into details on what happened or how it happened, so I'll apologize first, but I have found my family. I have never known what it meant to be cherished with a family…for my father and mother had both died when I was a mere child, but it is indeed something truly precious. Signum is a bit stern, and is sometimes hard-headed, but she feels like an elder sister I never had. Meanwhile, Vita-"

I stopped reading. If I continued, I'm not sure I could go on with the plan. And even if I chose to merely destroy the Book now, saving her future at the cost of others… I would be destroying her family.

It pains me, greatly, but I..I have come too far to run away now.

* * *

How long had it been now...Has it really been almost a decade now since that fateful day? 

9 years… It felt as if it was just yesterday. The little baby girl I once held in my arms, has grown into a cute, young girl…

A girl that I have to "kill".

I realize what I'm doing is wrong. For the future, justice, regardless of how much the good outweigh the bad, these excuses don't matter one bit. Lives cannot be measured by statistics.

But there is no other way.

And with her Knights awakened, pursuing to fill the pages of the Book...It is already too late.

"Lotte...Aria...Proceed with your mission."

"Yes, Father"

As Lotte and Aria both donned their masked personification and teleported away, a roar of thunder can be heard, as the rain suddenly pours heavily. Each drop of rain, hits me my entire being so hard from the skies, it feels as if God is punishing me with a rain of needles.

"I am sorry, Hayate."

"….."

"_Are you crying, Boss?"  
_

* * *

Author's Note : So, well…that's it. It came less angsty and shorter than I wanted it to be, but anymore would make this draggy as well, as it's not draggy enough. 

So, naturally, please read and review. Or more precisely, flame or praise. It'd be more appreciated if there are constructive comments alongside, since I'm a learning writer and any form of technical comments from you suckwhy etc would be helpful.

Until the wind blows in a night sky again, next time.

Nighty's Gale. You can call me Nighty though.


End file.
